After receiving this costume for my Azur Lane De Zeven Provinciën cosplay, I carefully inspected every detail and immediately arranged this studio shoot. The wig chosen was a pale grass green; to recreate the styling, I trimmed blunt bangs in front and intricately braided both sides into an updo at the back. The glowing flame-shaped headpiece on top needed to be secured with bobby pins in advance, and the pointed elf ears had to fit flush against the earlobes, paying close attention to the angle to avoid seams showing. Wardrobe-wise, the top is pieced together primarily with white lace, featuring a chest cutout design and paired with a black lace choker accented with tiny gold bows and dark gemstones. The dark waist belt provided an excellent cinching effect. The outer dark-blue wide-sleeved robe is edged with elaborate golden embroidery; this fabric has a heavy drape and easily wrinkles if movements are too broad, requiring constant smoothing. The bottom features an asymmetrically cut white lace skirt paired with deep moss-green metallic-luster over-the-knee Stockings with golden ornamental patterns around the ankles, giving the material a radiant gradient under studio lighting. The shoes were clear high-heeled sandals, visually elongating overall proportions.
A great deal of craftsmanship also went into crafting the props. The staff's main color is black, twisted along the shaft with a lantern structure attached at the top. Before shooting, I specifically tested the internal illumination brightness of the lantern to ensure it remained distinctly visible under ambient lighting. To enrich visual layers, I also prepared a white lace parasol and pink lilies. The scene was set in a vintage interior: after setting up a European-style sofa, I added pink tasseled cushions and a yellow plush toy. The background cabinet was decorated with multiple antique clocks and picture frames, surrounded by pink and purple blossoms.
During the shoot, showcasing the costume's tailoring and character poise was key. I found that sitting on the sofa allowed my leg lines to stretch gracefully, while the metallic sheen of the Stockings and leg contours appeared richly dimensional under side lighting. Holding the staff required managing my center of gravity, projecting the character's serene composure without obstructing my face. When directing poses, I tried side sitting, crossing my legs, and holding the staff with both hands, while utilizing high and low angles to display the neckline and tiered skirt hem. To highlight the chest lace cutouts and choker details, I shot several half-body close-ups, adjusting camera angles so light fell evenly across my face and chest.
For makeup, to harmonize with the light green wig, I wore matching colored contact lenses and deepened the contours at the outer eye corners. The lips were finished with high-saturation crimson, focusing on elevating facial contrast. Studio lighting primarily employed softboxes to simulate natural light, supplemented by overhead lights, making the background florals and golden carved accents soft without stealing the spotlight, while ensuring balanced exposure across face and fabric. The entire shoot was spent fine-tuning costume details and prop placements. Looking through the finished photos, the tactile clash between the metallic-sheen Stockings and dark blue cape—paired with the luminous glow of the staff lantern—pushes the overall atmosphere to the max in this 2D cosplay work.